Older age is associated with decreased sensitivity to stress and severity of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder: Evidence from the Ukrainian population

Sustained exposure to violence, displacement, and chronic uncertainty caused by the ongoing Russian aggressive war affected millions of civilians, prompting serious concerns regarding the cumulative and long-term effects on the mental health of the population in wartime conditions. This study aims to assess the prevalence of stress, depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among the Ukrainian population after two years of Russian invasion. In addition, the study examines the association between age and the level of psychological symptoms, aiming to identify age-specific trajectories in the development and expression of war-related stress responses. Using a cross-sectional survey design, data were collected from a diverse sample of Ukrainian participants across different age groups. The study included a total of 9,967 Ukrainian participants, devided into five age groups: 1,226 individuals (12.3%) aged 18-24 years, 4,016 (40.3%) were aged 25-34 years, 3,227 individuals (32.4%) were aged 35-44; 1,171 respondents (11.8%) were between 45 and 54 years old; and 327 participants (3.3%) were 55 years old and above. Standardised psychometric tools were used to assess the severity of psychological symptoms across participants. Stress levels were measured using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), anxiety symptoms were evaluated with the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), depression levels were estimated with the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms were assessed using the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5). The results reveal that stress levels tend to be lower in older adults, suggesting that older individuals may possess greater psychological resilience or employ more adaptive coping strategies. In contrast, younger respondents were found to exhibit significantly higher levels of anxiety, depression and PTSD symptoms, indicating a heightened vulnerability to the traumatic effects of war among youth. Analysis of differential symptom profiles across age cohorts will further help to uncover potential age-linked risk and resilience factors that modulate the psychological impact of prolonged armed conflict.